SHOOTING THE SAME OLD SAME OLD

Been flat out working recently. If i’m not coaching then I’ve been trying to shoot photos or video with about everyone at the moment. Oh it’s a hard life and I bet your heart bleeds. Thing is I haven’t truly had anytime to ride for me recently. I’ve either been teaching the fundamentals of stance and balance, making people better riders, teaching old dogs to flip, crawling (relatively speaking) down all the trails in the Bike Park, or repeatedly hiking and shralping the same corner or jump endlessly until the photog is sure that the mix of light and action is correct enough for a b-roll photo that probably won’t ever see the light of day. That last bit is me being all melodramatic, but often out of the hundreds of shots taken in a session then only one might get used anywhere for anything.

Anyway, recently been working with a photog from Florida who is doing some shoots for the coaching department to use as marketing propaganda online and elsewhere. Been fun taking a relative newbie to the park and trying to get some fun, original and, in her own words, “bad ass” photographs.

Finding new spots and shots is actually harder than you think in the park. So many people have taken so many shots in the park that it’s easy for some photogs to just plain copy or get mistakenly copy shots that have already been done. For instance last week on that fucking god awful excuse for a website, some little grom posted some really nice shots, but all of them were about as original as a tea bag.

Anyway, I shouldn’t be bitchy, the kid is young, but still, he provides a perfect example for what i’m talking about.

Of topic, slightly. Here is Seb Kemps current top three photogs, that i’ve worked with…

In no particular order…

Mattias Fredriksson – Shame he pulled out of Deep Summer, but at least it means we will have more time after Crankworx to get some “epic shoots”.

Jordan Manley – The man is far less intimidating than the quality of work he produces would lead you to believe. An amazing photog who must be a genius, but hides it behind a pretty relaxed demeanour. Whats he got in store for Deep Summer